Robert Jenrick to run for Tory leadership

Former immigration minister has emerged as a frontrunner among party members according to a new poll of activists

Robert Jenrick will stand to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, his campaign team announced on Thursday.
The former immigration minister’s nomination form, backed by 10 MPs, was submitted by his campaign manager Danny Kruger.
He becomes the third Tory MP to throw his hat into the ring after shadow home secretary James Cleverly and shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat declared their candidacies for the leadership.
Mr Kruger said: “To have any path back to government we must win back those voters we have lost across the board, but particularly to Reform. At the same time we have to bring our party together, united behind one set of coherent Conservative principles.
“The British people need to be convinced that we are the most responsible and competent party of government for us to have any chance of winning in 2029, especially when we know Labour are set to fail on so many important issues for our country.
“Rob Jenrick will do that. He has the energy, temperament and policy agenda to take on our rivals and lead us back to power in five years.“
Mr Jenrick has emerged as a frontrunner for the Tory leadership among party members, according to a new poll of activists.
The former immigration minister, who quit Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet in protest at his failure to take a tougher approach to illegal immigration, emerged ahead of Kemi Badenoch, Mr Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel and Suella Braverman.
Some 55 per cent of members listed Mr Jenrick as one of their top choices for next leader, more than the share of members who did for Mr Tugendhat (52 per cent), Mrs Badenoch (52 per cent), Dame Priti (47 per cent) or Mrs Braverman (45 per cent).
Mr Jenrick will appeal to the right of the party because of his tough stance on immigration including supporting the UK’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights and disapplication of human rights laws that block deportations.
He was a strong supporter of the Rwanda deportation scheme, now ditched by Labour, and urged Mr Sunak to toughen up measures to prevent migrants using human rights laws to avoid their removal to the African country.
However, he also has support on the centre-left of the party, having served under Lord Cameron and Theresa May when they were prime ministers and was a close ally of Mr Sunak before he became party leader.
Mr Jenrick will announce his candidacy at a launch event next Friday in the East Midlands. At least seven MPs are expected to stand in the contest which will see the top four presenting their cases to the party at the Tory conference in October once the first rounds of voting are completed.
The new leader will be announced on November 2 after the final two candidates are subject to the final round of voting by the party members.